President Lee Jae Myung on Aug. 26 delivers a congratulatory speech at the christening ceremony of the State of Maine, a ship under the National Security Multi-mission Vessel program of the U.S. Department of Transportation, at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia. (Yonhap News)

By Park Hye Ri

President Lee Jae Myung on the afternoon of Aug. 26 reaffirmed his pledge to expand bilateral cooperation in shipbuilding with the U.S. during a visit to Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia.

Hanwha Group in December last year acquired the shipyard, which was built in 1801 for the U.S. Navy, as the first Korean corporation to own an American shipyard. The facility is also considered a symbol of the bilateral project "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA)."

President Lee that day attended the christening ceremony of the State of Maine, a ship built at the shipyard as part of the National Security Multi-mission Vessel (NSMV) program for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD).

"Korea's shipbuilding industry has started a new challenge of boosting America's maritime security and contributing to the rebirth of American shipbuilding," he said in a congratulatory speech. "The shipbuilding sectors of both countries will grow together to produce a win-win outcome."

"With the world's leading power and capacity, the Philly shipyard will turn into the premier American shipyard and showcase state-of-the-art shipbuilding technology," he added. "The Philly shipyard will allow the 72-year bilateral alliance to open a new chapter of 'future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance' that combines security, economic and technological alliances."

"The key roles in bilateral shipbuilding cooperation are held by business executives and workers here," he said. "Just as Korean businesspeople and laborers created the miracle of 'K-shipbuilding' in a barren land, Korea and the U.S. should join forces to turn a MASGA miracle into reality."

After the ceremony, President Lee inspected the shipyard with Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun; Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-Kwan; National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lac; Presidential Chief of Staff for Policy Kim Yong-beom; Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan; and Hanwha Ocean CEO Kim Hee-cheul.

The U.S. side included Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Indiana Sen. Todd Young, Hanwha Philly Shipyard CEO David Kim and Deputy MARAD Administrator Sang Yi.

The Philly shipyard will build five such vessels like the State of Maine at a cost of USD 300 million each.

President Lee wrapped up his U.S. trip with this visit and flew home that evening.

hrhr@korea.kr